As Statesman Shots co-hosts Omar Gallaga and Tolly Moseley explained in an episode of the podcast Saturday, they came across stoically marching ladies in red on their way to the Los Pollos Hermanos installation promoting AMC’s “Better Call Saul.” They were not the only people startled by the guerilla marketing for the dystopian drama.

PBS suspends ‘Tavis Smiley’ show amid sexual misconduct investigation

Talk show host Tavis Smiley speaks during the ‘Tavis Smiley’ panel at the PBS portion of the 2011 Winter TCA press tour held at the Langham Hotel on January 9, 2011 in Pasadena, California. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

— PBS has suspended the “Tavis Smiley” show following allegations of sexual misconduct between Smiley and former production staffers.

"Effective today, PBS has indefinitely suspended distribution of Tavis Smiley, produced by TS Media, an independent production company. PBS engaged an outside law firm to conduct an investigation immediately after learning of troubling allegations regarding Mr. Smiley. This investigation included interviews with witnesses as well as with Mr. Smiley. The inquiry uncovered multiple, credible allegations of conduct that is inconsistent with the values and standards of PBS, and the totality of this information led to today’s decision."

WASHINGTON — Omarosa Manigaul Newman, the “Apprentice” star turned White House aide, was removed from the White House Tuesday night,“physically dragged and escorted off the campus,” according to several news reports.

Manigault-Newman announced her resignation on Wednesday, effective next month.

Related

Under fire from Republicans, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein defended the work of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, warding
off repeated questions from GOP lawmakers who charge that Mueller has assembled a group of senior officials who were pro-Hillary
Clinton and anti-Donald Trump.

“This is unbelievable,” said Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), who chastised Rosenstein just like the Ohio Republican demanded more
information last week from the FBI Director, taking aim at several top FBI officials, whose private texts showed them with
little respect for President Trump.

“How with a straight face that this group of Democrat partisans are unbiased, and will give President Trump a fair shake?”
asked Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH).

“I’m not aware of any impropriety,” Rosenstein said when asked about the Mueller probe, as he said he was confident that
Mueller was not running a tainted investigation.

It was all part of the latest GOP push to undermine confidence in the the Special Counsel’s investigation of Russian meddling
into the 2016 elections, and any links to President Trump’s campaign, which saw new momentum with the release of text messages
from 2016 between certain senior Justice Department officials.

The texts detailed a series of verbal put downs of Mr. Trump during the campaign, using flowery language that some GOP lawmakers
refused to read out loud at Wednesday’s hearing.

Some of the G-rated texts referred to Mr. Trump as “awful,” an “idiot,” and a “loathesome human being.”

Strzok/Page texts obtained by Fox's
@JakeBGibson "LP – I can not believe Donald Trump is likely to be an actual, serious candidate for president."

“We recognize that we have employees with political opinions,” Rosenstein said at one point. “And it’s our responsibility
to make sure those opinions do not influence their actions.

Democrats played damage control for the Mueller investigation by leading Rosenstein through some more friendly questions
about the Russia probe.

“Your testimony today is that you believe Bob Mueller is a person of high integrity?” asked Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA).

“Yes,” Rosenstein responded.

“You believe that investigation is being conducted fairly,” Swalwell asked.

“Yes,” said Rosenstein.

But Democrats also came after Rosenstein at times, as the Deputy Attorney General was repeatedly pressed to tell whether
he had been called on the telephone by the President, and told to investigate certain people or issues – Rosenstein repeatedly
warded off those questions as well.

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Tina Smith to fill Al Franken's Senate seat

MINNEAPOLIS — Updated 1:02 p.m. ET Dec. 13: Sen. Al Franken said Minnesota Lt. Gov. Tina Smith “will make an excellent United States Senator” after she was announced Wednesday as the Democratic congressman’s replacement.

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton named Smith as Franken’s replacement after the senator announced his intention to resign. He has not set a date for his resignation. Dayton said Wednesday that Smith will serve a one-year term ending in January 2019.

Franken said Smith, who became lieutenant governor in 2015, will “be an effective senator who knows how to work across party lines to get things done for Minnesota.”

“I look forward to working with her on ensuring a speedy and seamless transition,” he said.

From 2003-2006, Smith, a New Mexico native who has lived in Minnesota since 1984, was vice president of external affairs for Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. She also was chief of staff for Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and Dayton before becoming lieutenant governor in 2015.